


so many angles, so many lies

by minouribia



Series: October Prompts [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Amnesia, Angst, Canon Divergence - The Cricket Game, F/F, Season 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26829511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minouribia/pseuds/minouribia
Summary: There's no denying what she's seen with her own eyes.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Series: October Prompts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950595
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	so many angles, so many lies

She did it. 

Emma believed her when she denied it, she believed her when everyone else was against her, and she believed her when she said she wanted to change, but she did it. Without hesitation. 

And then she acted like she had nothing to do with it. 

Regina lied. 

“Regina,” she breathes out softly. Her throat tightens in a mix of horror, betrayal, and shock, and every last petal of hope is swept away as the memory comes to a close. 

All she can do is stare at it for a long moment. 

All she can do is stare at the _truth_. 

There's no denying what she's seen with her own eyes. There's no fighting the loss she feels after watching it play out. 

Because Regina, the only constant in this town, the woman who said she was changing, the woman who seemed to be changing, killed someone. She killed a friend, even. 

“Oh, Emma,” says Mary Margaret, looking at her with both knowing and pity. 

“You were right all along.” Her tone is empty and distant to her own ears. So far away. 

“I’m so sorry, Emma,” says David. 

But when has sorry ever meant much? 

* * *

“What’s this for?” 

Ruby shrugs, leaning against the counter. “Seemed like you could use a drink.” 

“It’s barely passed noon. I don’t think it’s a good time to start drinking,” says Emma with a sigh. 

Even after a day to digest the information, it still feels so fresh. As if she’s learning it for the first time over and over and over in an endless loop. 

“You wanna talk about it?" Ruby glances around. "It’s not like the diner is overflowing with people right now.” 

It isn’t. Mostly because people are working at the jobs they were cursed with, desperate for any sense of normalcy. 

And they’re even more desperate for a chance to go back to the Enchanted Forest. 

“I don’t know where I’d even begin.” There’s a thousand places she could begin. Maybe more.

Because every hour there seems to be a new crisis and a new problem for the fated savior to solve. 

Ruby looks on in understanding. “Seems rough.”

“Yeah.”

“Would part of it have something to do with our dear mayor?” 

Emma laughs bitterly. But it's bitterness pointed towards herself more than Regina because she’s the fool who’s trying to save people who don’t want to be saved. “When does it not?” 

“Archie?” Ruby’s face falls at her wordless nod. She sighs, cursing under her breath. “I’m sorry. I know you believed in her.” 

Emma shrugs. “Don’t be sorry. You all said she wouldn’t change. I don’t know why I thought this would be any different.” 

“Don’t beat yourself up about it. You’re not the one who… It was her choice.”

“I know that, but I just… Why?” Emma wants to laugh because that’s the question of the day, isn’t it? Why? 

Ruby gives her a sympathetic but helpless look. “I don’t know.” 

“It’s fine I— _Henry_.” Her eyes widen in realization. The kid is in school, he has no idea what’s happened, does he? She’ll have to tell him and— Fuck Regina. 

Why did she do it? Why didn’t she think about Henry? Why Archie?

Why? 

* * *

Her heart stills pounds, her limbs still move, and her chest still heaves, yet the numbness that came alongside the realization is overwhelming. Because maybe people don’t ever truly and genuinely change. 

Did Emma ever change? Really change? 

Regina didn’t. 

Whatever she saw— whatever she was _tricked_ into seeing in that interrogation room was just another lie. She’s probably laughing to herself about how easy Emma was to fool. 

She’s barely had parents for a month and she’s already disappointing them. They warned her, she didn’t listen. They tried to comfort her, she pushed them away. They suggested a plan, now they’re on their way to confront the woman who could’ve been behind bars days ago. 

Her traitorous heart speeds up as they approach Regina’s mansion, but Emma refuses to feel anything besides numbness and indifference to the woman and everything she tries to claim. Lies. All of it. 

Never again. 

“Emma?” says David, genuine concern on his face. Emma blinks, pulling herself from the haze she’s been stuck in. These last few weeks, especially the last three days, feel no different than one of the dreams she has during her worst nights. 

It’d be so much easier if it was one of those dreams. 

“Yes?” 

“Are you okay?” They aren’t close, another thing to blame Regina for perhaps, but he _cares_. Mary Margaret has a similar worry on her features because actually, they both care. 

Maybe not always in the way she wants and maybe not in a way she needs, but they try, and that’s more than Emma’s ever had. 

“I’m fine.” Based on the looks on their faces, they don’t believe a word she says. Emma can’t blame them, she wouldn’t believe her either. “It’s fine. We should just get this over with. Before Regina sees us out here and catches on.”

“Alright,” says Mary Margaret, hesitance not leaving her face. The rest of their journey is a short event, and Emma’s stomach drops even further as they reach her doorstep. 

This could go so many ways. It could go fine and Regina could be peacefully taken into custody or it could go terribly and they could have another reign of terror on their hands. Who knows anymore when it comes to Regina. 

Emma clearly doesn’t know Regina nearly as well as she thought she did. 

With one last deep breath, Emma raps her knuckles on the door. 

The three of them await whatever is to come with baited breath. For a moment, it’s silence. 

Emma swallows uncomfortably because what if Regina isn’t actually home. What if she’s used magic to travel and this plan is going to go south before it has even begun? 

But the door does open and Regina does answer. She looks strange with dazed eyes and slumped posture, but who wouldn’t be different after committing murder?

“Regina,” Emma starts. Regina looks at her, studies her, yet the questions on her face don’t leave. “Regina,” Emma repeats, firmer. 

“Who’s Regina?”


End file.
